Concern for the prevention of theft, accidental loss, or general secure containment of personal articles detachably carried on one's person, for travel sports and fitness, or general daily use, has resulted in numerous inventions intended to address this problem. Many of these inventions include conventional fanny packs, money belts, wrist and shoe attaching pockets, belt-supported receptacles, wallets with clip assemblies attachable to a belt and pouches with purported locking clips for securely locking the same to articles of clothing. While the prior art devices referred to provide a limited degree of protection for carrying valuables, they posses certain drawbacks that render them not entirely satisfactory.
Security receptacles that utilize a waist strap, such as with money belts and fanny packs, decrease comfort and restrict movement. When a money belt is worn under apparel, the user must inconveniently retreat to a private area to retrieve articles. Smaller solutions such as wrist, ankle, and shoe pockets all attach to an appendage causing a risk of loss to articles contained due to recurrent movement of the appendage. Additionally, during use of these devices in physical activity, performance and comfort are hindered by the attachment of such a device to an appendage on one side of the body. In addition to advertising valuables, these are subject to limited versatility due to factors relating to their bodily attachment location and means. Security pockets or receptacles incorporated into the construction of garments tend to reduce the aesthetic appeal of such garments and limit containment use to the garment in which the receptacle is incorporated. Wallets and pouches that utilize a neck strap are less accessible if worn under clothing, not concealed if worn outside of clothing, movement constricting, uncomfortable and neck straps may be easily cut allowing the article container to be removed, knowingly or unknowingly, from the wearer. Wallets with secure belt loop attachments are limited in that the user must either remove his or her belt in order to position or remove the receptacle. Also, the user is limited to use of the receptacle when wearing a belt or items with a waist strap. Additionally, the receptacle may slide off, when the user undoes their belt to undress or uses the restroom, jeopardizing security of items contained.
Several other inventions have attempted to overcome some of the disadvantages of the previously mentioned disclosures for carrying valuables. A variety of wallets and pouches with removable or permanent clip assemblies attempt to allow the user to removably retain a wallet or receptacle, for carrying items, onto the wearer's clothing. Although these attempt to address some of the previously mentioned disadvantages, are generally closer in category to the current invention, all the receptacles of this nature heretofore known suffer from a variety of disadvantages.
First, the clip mechanism or clipping device utilized is primary in determining how secure the receptacle, and its contents, will ultimately be against inadvertent loss or theft of the receptacle. In previous inventions clipping mechanisms disclosed generally, among other issues, suffer from drawbacks in one or more of the following key areas: gripping effectiveness and security, ease of use, and manufacturability. Generally as with the case with "U" or hairpin-style slide-on clips such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,416,315 to Foley (1983) and 4,903,745 to Roman (1990) and with spring clips, the gripping friction and the ease of use are conversely proportionate, limiting the ability of these clips, and thus, devices to provide both ease of use and secure gripping means concurrently. For example, if the clipping mechanism is easy to clip onto the items to which it is intended to grip, such as the types suggested above, then it is likely not to deliver a high level of frictional engagement for securely holding the receptacle to the user. Conversely, because it may be designed such that it improves gripping effectiveness, as with a tight spring clip or a barbed "U" clip, it generally falls short on ease of use. Thus, the harder it clamps, the more force it takes to pinch or actuate the clip for use and removal Other inventions have attempted to provide better clipping effectiveness with alternative clip designs. These suffer from, among other things, drawbacks in the areas of complexity of use and manufacturing inefficiency, and may cause damage to the articles they are intended to clip to. Clips such as those proposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,237,583 to Sullivan (1980), and 5,114,061 to Brady (1992) are examples of clips that are subject to one or more of these disadvantages.
In addition to the above, inventions heretofore known suffer from drawbacks and disadvantages combinations of the following areas:
Threatened security of receptacle or articles contained PA1 May damage garment or fabric when in use PA1 Causes user discomfort PA1 Poorly integrated features PA1 Limited accessibility PA1 Lacks versatility for range of use PA1 Inconvenient and difficult to use PA1 Inefficient or prohibitive to manufacture PA1 Unreliable in operation and subject to failure PA1 Incorporates odd or complex mechanisms PA1 A) To provide a clipable article container that overcomes the above and other shortcomings of known attachable, article receptacles, pouches, or wallets. PA1 B) To provide a clipable article container whose clamp allows it to be more securely lockclamped to a user or other articles. PA1 C) To provide a clipable article container whose article containing cavities can more securely retain articles. PA1 D) To provide a clipable article container whose clamp and related parts allow it to be clamped to and removed from the user more quickly, simply and easily. PA1 E) To provide a clipable article container that provides superior accessibility to contents of the container while clamped on or not. PA1 F) To provide a clipable article container that can be used more comfortably. PA1 G) To provide a clipable article container that offers versatility in the ways it can be positioned on the user or other items. PA1 H) To provide a clipable article container that can be effectively used for a wider range of activities, from everyday use to travel and sports. PA1 I) To provide a clipable article container whose production allows for flexible and cost-efficient manufacturing and assembly. PA1 J) To provide a clipable article container whose features are well and efficiently integrated for maximum convenience and functionality.
A need has arisen, therefore, for a comfortable, attractive, convenient, simple, reliable and cost-effective device for carrying valuables for use in a wide variety of situations and actives. The article-carrying device of the present invention meets this need and overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.
There has now been developed, and disclosed herein a new and novel device that has a number of advantages not possessed by the products of this type known heretofore to be available. A clipable article container embodying the principles of the invention has a container or pocket portion for containing personal articles; a clip or clamping mechanism or portion, enabling the container portion to be releasably attached to an article of clothing or other item; and means of attaching the clip or clamping portion to the container portion. Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.